The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and in particular, to an image forming apparatus wherein workability in forming images on recording materials of various types and sizes has been improved.
As a conventional image forming apparatus, there has been provided an image forming apparatus in which an image is formed on a transfer sheet (recording material) feds from a sheet feed cassette. To be more concrete, those recognized as an image forming apparatus include a copying machine in which a document is placed on or fed to a platen glass, and images of characters or patterns written or drawn on the document or of a combination thereof are copies on the aforesaid transfer sheet, a printer in which images similar to the foregoing formed on a word processor of a personal computer, for example, are printed on the transfer sheet, and a facsimile machine in which images similar to the foregoing transmitted through communication lines are printed.
In the image forming apparatus of this kind, it is not necessary to supply transfer sheets from outside each time, and it is possible to form continuously the images stated above on a relatively large quantity of transfer sheets, because the sheet feed cassette is provided and a plurality of transfer sheets can be stored in the sheet feed cassette in advance.
Further, there has already been available an image forming apparatus that is provided with a plurality of sheet feed cassettes, and in this case, it is possible to prepare in advance transfer sheets in plural types in terms of size and type.
Incidentally, even when transfer sheets having specific type and size are prepared in advance for each sheet feed cassette as stated above, there have been the following problems in the conventional image forming apparatus. Namely, when forming images on transfer sheets each having different type and different size, control conditions for the total image forming apparatus, namely, sheet conveyance condition and process condition usually need to be changed for each type and size. In the past, however, when forming images on a sheet of a specific type and a sheet of a specific size, the changes of the aforesaid conditions have been made by the method to cope with the condition change by conducting operations such as xe2x80x9cmode settingxe2x80x9d specially on all such occasions prior to image forming. Therefore, in the case of coping with the transfer sheet that is different from a transfer sheet called an ordinary sheet usually, operations of the image forming apparatus are time-consuming and are generally complicated, thus, there have been problems in its workability. When using the transfer sheet of a specific type or one having a specific size in a bypass feed tray, complicated operations of mode setting like those stated above must be conducted in addition to placing the transfer sheet on the bypass feed tray, which has extremely worsened workability.
For example, when forming images on a transfer sheet that is in xe2x80x9cirregular sizexe2x80x9d in terms of transfer sheet size, it has been necessary to select xe2x80x9cirregular size input modelxe2x80x9d capable of inputting longitudinal and lateral sizes of the transfer sheet and to input the aforesaid conditions, prior to conducting image forming. On this point, in particular, when it is considered that a user using xe2x80x9cirregular sizexe2x80x9d is frequently in the state to form images always on the irregular size, it is possible to assert that mode setting conducted each time as stated above is extremely problematic on the point of efficiency.
Further, there has been an occasion to conduct image forming for xe2x80x9cirregular sizexe2x80x9d in a simpler way wherein transfer sheets other than those in regular size are grouped together equally by the handling of xe2x80x9cspecial sizexe2x80x9d and by applying finally to them equally the control condition concerning, for example, xe2x80x9cmaximum sizexe2x80x9d. However, this method is far from the optimum image forming, resulting in problems.
Further, even in the case where the type is different, it has been necessary to establish, for example, a mode of xe2x80x9cthick sheetxe2x80x9d, a mode of xe2x80x9cthin sheetxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9can applied modexe2x80x9d that is more general, and to input information necessary for determining the aforesaid control condition from an established image plane concerning the mode concerned prior to image forming, which is basically the same as the occasion about xe2x80x9csizexe2x80x9d.
The invention has been achieved in view of the circumstances stated above, and its object is to provide an image forming apparatus wherein its workability is excellent when conducting image forming on a transfer sheet that is of a specific type or in a specific size.
To solve the subjects and problems mentioned above, the invention has taken the following structures.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material characterized in that a plurality of recording material storing members each storing the recording materials are provided, and each of the recording material storing members is provided with an input means that establishes establishment information of a type and/or non-regular size of the recording material stored in the recording material storing member.
In this case, xe2x80x9cnon-regular sizexe2x80x9d means sizes other than xe2x80x9cregular sizexe2x80x9d (including, for example, A4, A3, B5, B4, 8.5xc3x9711 inch and 11xc3x9717 inch, and each of them takes a longitudinal type and a lateral type). Though a recording material wherein at least its length in the conveyance direction (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9clongitudinal directionxe2x80x9d) does not accord with the length in the longitudinal direction of the regular size can be established as the non-regular size, it is more preferable that a recording material wherein a length in the longitudinal direction does not accord with the length in the longitudinal direction of the regular size and a length in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9clateral directionxe2x80x9d) does not accord with the length in the lateral direction of the regular size either is established as the non-regular size. Further, xe2x80x9cregular sizexe2x80x9d in a concrete means is a regular size with which a regular size detection section can detect which of a plurality of regular sizes corresponds to the size of the recording material. For example, in Japanese and European specifications, A4, A3, B5 and B4 are called the xe2x80x9cregular sizexe2x80x9d, while in the American specifications, 8.5xc3x9711 inch and 11xc3x9717 inch are called the xe2x80x9cregular sizexe2x80x9d, and regular sizes other than the foregoing are called the xe2x80x9cspecial regular sizexe2x80x9d (representing 8.5xc3x9711 inch and 11xc3x9717 inch in Japanese and European specifications and A4, A3, B5 and B4 in the American specifications). However, even in the case of Japanese and European specifications, for example, if the regular size detection section is arranged to be capable of detecting 8.5xc3x9711 inch, it is a regular size. The wording simply expressed as xe2x80x9csizexe2x80x9d in the present specifications means both xe2x80x9cnon-regular sizexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cregular sizexe2x80x9d.
With regard to xe2x80x9ctypexe2x80x9d, control conditions (conveyance conditions and process conditions) in an image forming apparatus usually need to be changed at need for improvement of image quality and for optimization of an image forming process, and this xe2x80x9ctypexe2x80x9d includes both xe2x80x9cordinary sheetxe2x80x9d (in the embodiment, recycled sheet, colored sheet, quality sheet and peelable sheet are handled as an ordinary sheet because the control conditions for them are the same as those for the ordinary sheet, and if some of them are different from the ordinary sheet in terms of control conditions, they can be handled as xe2x80x9cspecial sheetxe2x80x9d for distinguishing them from the ordinary sheet) and xe2x80x9cspecial sheet) (in the embodiment, the special sheet includes thick sheet, thin sheet, mother print, tabulation sheet and OHT, and control conditions for them are different from those for the ordinary sheet, and the control conditions are different from each other).
Further, xe2x80x9cinput sectionxe2x80x9d is an operation section (touch panels and buttons) provided on an image forming apparatus, and it may also be set from a computer through a network (for example, LAN) to which the image forming apparatus is connected, and in this case, the input section is one (for example, a controller section such as a network interface) connected to the network, and the computer is a setting section.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that there is provided a setting mode that conducts image forming under the control conditions in accordance with the aforesaid setting information set on a recording material storing member in which the recording material is stored when forming images on the recording material. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the recording material storing member is equipped with a type detecting section that detects a type of the stored recording material and/or a regular size detection section that detects which regular size among plural regular sizes corresponds to the size of the recording material, and there is provided a detection mode that conducts, when forming images on a recording material, the image forming under the control condition in accordance with the type detected by the type detection section and/or the regular size detected by the regular size detection section. An image forming apparatus characterized in that a selection section that selects either one of the setting mode and the detection mode is provided.
xe2x80x9cSelection sectionxe2x80x9d in this case is an operation section (touch panels and buttons) provided on an image forming apparatus, and it may also be set from a computer through a network (for example, LAN) to which the image forming apparatus is connected, and in this case, the selection section is one connected to the network, and the computer is a setting section. The xe2x80x9cselection sectionxe2x80x9d may either be located at a position which is different from that for the xe2x80x9cinput sectionxe2x80x9d or be located at the same position to be used also as the xe2x80x9cinput sectionxe2x80x9d.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that, when the setting information is not set in the recording material storing member when forming images under the condition of the setting mode, image forming is conducted under the detection mode. An image forming apparatus characterized in that, when the regular size detection section detects the regular size that does not correspond to the non-regular size in the case where the non-regular size is set as the aforesaid set information set in the recording material storing member, image forming is conducted under the detection mode.
In this case, xe2x80x9cdetecting the regular size that does not correspond to the non-regular sizexe2x80x9d means the occasion wherein the regular size detection section detects the regular size other than the smallest regular size among regular sizes greater than non-regular size established as setting information, or the occasion wherein the regular size detection section detects the regular size other than the greatest regular size among regular sizes smaller than non-regular size established as setting information.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a bypass feed tray on which a recording material can be placed is provided, and the input section sets setting information of the type and/or non-regular size of the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a bypass feed setting image plane for inputting the setting information concerning the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray is displayed on an operation section, for conducting image forming on the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that it is possible to select whether or not to indicate the bypass feed setting image plane on the operation section, when conducting image forming on the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that, when an automatic recording material selection function for selecting the recording material storing member that stores a recording material whose size accords with a size of a document from a plurality of recording material storing members and/or an automatic sheet storing member switching function for selecting other recording material storing members storing recording materials whose size is the same as that of the recording material when recording materials are gone on the half way of image forming is provided, selection by the automatic recording material selection function and/or the automatic sheet storing member switching function is prohibited for the recording material storing member on which the aforesaid setting information wherein a special sheet is designated as a type is set.
In this case, xe2x80x9ca size of a documentxe2x80x9d means a size of a document that is read by an image reading device provided on the image forming apparatus, or a size of image data (document) transmitted from a computer through a network (for example, LAN) to which the image forming apparatus is connected.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that selection by the automatic recording material selection function and/or the automatic sheet storing member switching function is prohibited for the recording material storing member on which the setting information where non-regular size or a wide sheet is designated is set.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that setting is conducted, in the input section, by an input of a length in the longitudinal direction and a length in the lateral direction relating to the non-regular size and/or by an input of a difference from a regular size, when setting the non-regular size in the setting information.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the setting information stated above is stored in a non-volatile storing section for each recording material storing member.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material characterized in that there are provided a recording material storing member storing recording materials that is constituted to be taken in an apparatus main body when forming images and to be drawn out of the apparatus main body when replenishing recording materials, and an input section that sets setting information of a type and/or a non-regular size of a recording material stored in the recording material storing member for that recording material storing member.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material under the control conditions in accordance with a type and/or a size of a recording material characterized in that a recording material storing member that stores recording materials, a type detection section that detects a type of a recording material stored in the recording material storing member and/or a size detection section that detects a size of the recording material and an input section that establishes setting information of a type and/or a size of a recording material stored in the recording material storing member are provided, and there are provided a setting mode in which image forming is conducted under the control conditions in accordance with the above-mentioned setting information that is set in the recording material storing member storing the recording material and a detection mode in which image forming is conducted under the control conditions in accordance with a type detected by the type detection section and/or a size detected by the size detection section.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the size detection section is a regular size detection section that detects which regular size corresponds among a plurality of regular sizes.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a selection section that selects either one of the setting mode and the detection mode is provided.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material under the control conditions in accordance with a type and/or a size of a recording material characterized in that there are provided a recording material storing member that stores recording materials, a type detection section that detects a type of a recording material stored in the recording material storing member and/or a regular size detection section that detects which regular size corresponds to the size of the recording material among a plurality of regular sizes, and an input section that sets on the recording material storing member the setting information composed at least of a type and/or a size of a recording material stored in the recording material storing member, and warning is given when the type detected by the type detection section and/or the regular size detected by the regular size detection section does not accord with the type and/or the size in the setting information.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that image forming is prohibited when the type detected by the type detection section and/or the regular size detected by the regular size detection section does not accord with the type and/or the size in the setting information.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that image forming is conducted under the control conditions in accordance with the type detected by the type detection section and/or the regular size detected by the regular size detection section when the type detected by the type detection section and/or the regular size detected by the regular size detection section does not accord with the type and/or the size in the setting information.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material characterized in that there are provided a recording material storing member storing recording materials that is constituted to be taken in an apparatus main body when forming images and to be drawn out of the apparatus main body when replenishing recording materials, a bypass feed tray on which a recording material can be placed, and an input section that sets setting information of a type and/or a size of the recording material stored in the recording material storing member, and when forming images on the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray, a bypass feed setting image plane that sets setting information of a type and/or a size of the recording material placed on the bypass feed tray is displayed on an operation section, in advance to the image forming.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the establishment of the setting information by the input section is conducted in a controller setting mode.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material characterized in that a plurality of recording material storing members each storing recording materials are provided, and a non-volatile storing means that stores setting information of a type and/or a non-regular size of a recording material stored in each recording material storing member is provided for each of the recording material storing members.
An image forming apparatus comprising: a storing member for storing recording materials having an arbitrary size; a first input device for inputting a size information corresponding to the arbitrary size of the recording materials; and a controller for controlling an image forming operation according to the size information inputted by the first input device.
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of storing members for storing recording materials classified in various kinds of classes, each of the storing members storing the recording materials classified in a designated class; a second input device for inputting classification information of each of the designated classes of the recording materials, wherein each of the classification information is allocated to each of the storing members; a controller for controlling an image forming operation according to each of the classification information inputted by the second input device.